Dear Santa, I wish...

Over the last month, I’ve been writing to Santa and publishing these every Monday (or trying to, internet notwithstanding!). This is my final letter, written for Christmas Eve, 2018. (Please note these letters do not include promotional or hyper links since I am not promoting or selling. This is for giving.)

Dear Santa, I wish…

Santa, over the last few weeks I’ve asked that you give special blessings and gifts to the mentors, the selfless ones and the troubled ones. I’ve given you names to help you fulfill those wishes and I hope I’ve been a good elf.

On this Christmas Eve, I’m not silly enough to ask for impossible things like world peace or bipartisanship between Republicans and Democrats. I can’t even ask for proof of life in outer space. No, even I realize those wishes are bigger than the both of us. But I do have a bit of a quandary with this last letter.

My problem is how can I wish for anything for myself? I have been blessed with love of family and friends, a roof, food and health. Everything else surrounding me is the glitter on the gift box! I feel very selfish asking for anything at all when I have so very much.

As a result I give to charity. I avoid those organizations that say a lot but spend the money on administration and salaries. I want my donations to go to work right away so I give to places like SMILETRAIN, PURPLE HEART HOMES, FEED AMERICA, and HUMANE SOCIETY. I donate to my local VOLUNTEER Fire Department and I give to the POLICE for things like vests and dogs and survivors benefits. Help others to find places to give and encourage giving. It will help so many and makes you feel good. 

So what about me? Well, I do have some selfish wishes. I wish my friends and family would buy my books. I wish for buyers to leave me reviews. I wish to write better stories and to that end I study but a little luck wouldn’t hurt, if you have some extra. I wish successful bestselling authors could be less clique-ish and more open to lesser known authors, like me. 

See? There I go being selfish. I don’t like the way it makes me feel. I prefer to give, Santa. I guess that’s why you are so happy.

So I’m going to wish for more people to do Random Acts of Kindness. It makes you feel good and it does so much for others too. Wait til you see the smiles you get for being generous and kind. Oh, wait, you already know that smile! 

I do have a wish that is far greater than me — I wish for boys, girls and animals to be fostered and adopted! I want people to share the love they guard and to give it to some creature who is aching to be loved. Please Santa, find good homes for these children and pets.

After that, I don’t really have much to wish for except to wish that my friends to know how much their recent kindness, generosity, and love has meant and still means to me. This is the best gift of all. It is priceless and cannot be wished over. If that is all I ever have in life, then I am wealthy beyond measure.

I wish for everyone to be as blessed as I have been. Safe travels this night and give Rudolph some extra oats. Watch out for my friends the bats.

Oh, I’ll be waiting up with cookies. And if I fall asleep, well then, Merry Christmas Santa. God Bless us, every one.

I remain, Yours Between the Lines,

Sherry

(I’ll be back for the 2018 Year in Review wrap up next Monday!)